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Carefully, with the crown balanced on my head, I throw my arms around his neck, Brecken securing me within the weight of his arms.
In turn, I hug Luca and Roo, The Moms and Dads looking on with happy expressions.
Replacing the crown in its box, I offer to welcome the catering staff in with our brunch when the front door buzzer sounds.
Three staff arrive with wheeled trolleys, laden with eggs Benedict, smoked salmon, blueberry muffins, and fresh, brightly-colored fruit. Seeing Dale loitering by the elevator doors, I wave.
“Happy Birthday!” he greets. “I didn’t think you’d be the one answering the door today.”
“Yeah, well they’re making me work for my presents.”
“Scoundrels,” he jokes, stepping closer. “I’m not sure I’ve congratulated you on your engagement, or your promotion. Things are happening quickly.”
The press release has been approved by Balthasar and his sons. By me too. The direction of the company is clear and set.
“Thank you,” I say, determined not to assume he’s linking my engagement with my promotion. “I’m thrilled.”
“I bet Balthazar is too.”
My future father-in-law has been wholly welcoming. I have the greatest respect for the man, both professionally and personally. “I’m very fond of him,” I admit. “He’s been a good ally, and extremely supportive.”
“He always knew you were the one, right from when he heard about you getting sacked from WM.”
It takes me a moment to fully comprehend Dale’s words, the champagne on an empty stomach probably not helping. The phrasing made it sound like Balthazar knew of me months ago. But that can’t be right, can it?
“That long ago?” I bluff as my heart beats furiously in my chest. It’s not out of embarrassment for the circumstances that led to my departure—Dale knows I’m in a relationship with Balthazar’s sons. It’s more that a giantwhat the fuckhas just materialized before my eyes and I’m desperate to understand it. “It’s been, what, ten months since I left there?”
“About that, yeah,” he answers, nodding like he’s not just blown a city-wide hole in my heart. “His gut never steers him wrong. Stein Hotel wasn’t even on his radar, but when you moved out there he saw an opportunity, so he snapped up the neighboring plots as quickly as he could.”
Blood is rushing to my head, making me feel faint. White spots flash before my eyes as a thousand needle points prick my skin. It feels like I’m dissolving into a million atoms, flaking away into the air around me like a sci-fi character jumping between realms.
Then, blackness takes me.
I waketo Dale’s face peering down at me. I’m half on the floor, half in his arms. Several times he calls my name, shaking me gently by the shoulders.
“Luca! Brecken!” he hollers, twisting his face in the direction of the open suite door. I seem to be the only thing stopping it from closing.
I blink several times, my head feeling groggy. Nothing seems to be hurting so I assume Dale managed to catch me as I fainted.
“Errr, thanks,” I mumble, trying to get to my feet. It’s then that I hear multiple, heavy footsteps thundering through the suite towards us.
“Dale? What happened?”
Reuben is first through the door, swiftly followed by his brothers and a million other people.
Do they know their father set us up? Were they in on it?
“She fainted—”
“I fainted…I, er, feel okay though. No damage done.”
Climbing to my feet, three pairs of well-known hands come to support me, turning me towards the suite as everyone fusses around me.
“She’s not pregnant is she, Roo?” I hear Diana ask her son.
“No, Mum. I don’t think that’s it.” Then to me, he asks, “Are you? I mean, it’s great news if you are, but I’m pretty sure you’ll want to wait a while. Right?”
His voice is thick with concern. With muted excitement. The idea of a baby thrills him, even though there’s no way of knowing whose it would be without more DNA tests. Another time, another day, I’ll let my thoughts dwell on this brief conversation.
